This invention concerns hand held light signaling devices, and more particularly hand held lights used to control traffic, as when a police officer must control traffic at an intersection where a signal light has become disabled.
Hand held lighted batons or flashlights and the like have been devised, but these prior designs have not provided sufficient signaling capability for effective traffic control. Most have required incandescent lamps, limiting the life of the supply batteries. None have been failsafe and very convenient and effectively controlled in use.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a hand held light which may provide manual traffic signaling, which is convenient and easy to use effectively, while not having high power requirements to allow a long battery life.
This object, and others which will become apparent upon a reading of the following specification and claims are achieved by a hand held light having a circular array formed by sets of solid state light sources, such as LEDs or low powered lasers, respective sets of the light sources emitting red or green light, either the red or green light sources energized depending on the state of a trigger switch operated by the finger of a person gripping an elongated handle with the right or left hand.
A set of yellow light sources also may be provided, energized by the trigger switch when a power switch is in the off state.
The light also has a white light emitting lamp which can be energized by a separate switch for enabling use of a flashlight. When the trigger switch is not squeezed, power circuitry establishes a normal red light source on condition which causes the set of red LEDs or other sources to flash, to indicate to traffic at which the light is directed should remain stopped. With the trigger switch squeezed, the set of green light emitting light sources are energized.
Both red and green light activation require a position switch to be in its closed position, produced only when the light is held upright, so that the red and green light sources can also be turned on and off with the arm position of the holder, improving the case and effectiveness of use.
Indicator lights at the back of the light to enable a user to see what light is on may be included, as well as, and charging circuitry for the batteries.
A detachable visor is also optionally provided, snap fit to a smaller night visor built in to the head portion of the light housing.